MEDFORD MAIL THIBUNE, MEDFOHD, OREGON
SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 19H3
A 3
Divergence of Opinion Brought to Light at Hearing on Basin Drainage
By EVA HAMILTON
Mail Tribun Stiff Writer
The approach to a drainage
problem in Jackson county,
even as the approach to any
problem in demoncratic Amer
ica, brings to light a diver
gence of opinions.
This became obvious early
Thursday afternoon when a
hearing on drainage problems
in the Bear creek basin got
under way at the courthouse.
While one man wants all
the channels on his property
cleared of berry vines, wil
lows and debris, another
wants these masses of thorns
and sticks to stay where they
are as feeding grounds for
song birds and blinds for duck
hunters.
One man sees only the tor
rents of flood water threaten
ing his home or business. His
country neighbor sees erosion
stealing away the soil he
wants to farm.
Jack Hofibuhr, manager of
the Medford Irrigation dis
trict, spoke for clearing the
channels. He maintained that
the major trouble in the Dec.
2 flood resulted from jammed
channels.
He criticized contractors for
building too close to streams,
explaining that it is impossi
ble to remove debris and silt
when there is so little clear
ance around the banks. He
asked that city and county
planning commissions take a
serious look at all subdivi
sion plots to make sure that
sufficient space is left for
maintenance of the creek
channels.
Who has the authority to
require private owners to
maintain channels through
their property?" Hoff b u h r
asked.
He urged the county to re
quire an annual maintenance
program on channels such as
the irrigation districts carry
on with their canals. He rec
ommended a county wide levy
to provide for this annual pro
gram, stating that $150,000 a
year would clean up most of
the creeks that are causing
trouble now.
He admitted that the irri
gation districts use streams as
laterals in summer. He said
the districts are not permitted
to use funds for drainage ex
cept to protect structures
Agr With Spokesman
Larry Silveira. manager of
the. Eagle Point district: Wal
ter Hoffbuhr, Talent; Harold
Sexton, Rogue River Valley,
agreed with the Medford dis
trict spokesman that there is
need for a county levy.
The state highway depart
ment, represented by Will
Chandler, listed damage from
the Dec. 2 flood at $160,000.
Judson Dakin of the South
ern Pacific railroad, Portland
office, said his company ex
perienced losses in the mil
lions in flood damage.
Attorney Frank Van Dyke
discouraged the group in mov
ing too fast, stating that he
could understand some sec
tions of the county objecting
to a county-wide levy to cor
rect a problem they consider
limited to the Bear creek
basin proper. He foresaw a
need for legislation to make
any program possible.
A Mutual Problem
Dave Hendrix, county wa
ter master, described the
problem as a mutual one in
which everyone is involved
in some way. He noted tne
need for upstream storage to
take the peak off the exces
sive storms.
Two Accidents Are
Checked by Police
Two non-injury vehicle
accidents were investigated by
Medford police Thursday. No
citiations were issued, offic
ers said.
A city police car, parked at
the rear of city hall, was
damaged sllinuy when a
vehicle operated by Francis
Frederick Hibbard, 60, of
1302 Saling ave., backed into
it about 10:40 a. m., according
to reports.
Vehicles operated by Eston
Cordcll Mathewson, 16. of 302
Grape St., and Lee Roy Cox,
54. Grants Pass, collided
about 6:17 p. m. at Eighth
st. and Riverside ave., offic
ers said.
Clem Aull. of the Soil Con
scrvation service, expressed
doubt that cities, cuunty and
irrigation districts could han
dle the problem alone. He said
much of the trouble could
have been averted if the sug
gested dam sites had been
used.
Robert Carstcnsen, Jackson
county engineer, emphasized
the number of agencies and
individuals to be considered
in solution of one drainage
problem such as that of
Crooked creek. Streams me
ander through public and pri
vate lands, he explained, and
there are many legal hurdles
to clear in planning drainage
programs.
Describe Problems
City officials of Medford,
Ashland, Jacksonville, Gold
Hill, Phoenix, Central Point
and Eagle Point described
their problems. The common
practice of many citizens
dumping bottles, tires and
other debris into streams was
loudly condemned.
In this same area, Col. Paul
H. Weiland of the Izaak Wal
ton League asked for more
strict enforcement of the ex
isting laws. He urged action to
maintain watershed manage
ment and condemned con
struction which chokes any
stream. The county has a re
sponsibility in this area, he in
sisted, as some bridge con
struction has been at fault.
City Manager Robert Duff
of Medford said the city was
sitting in the middle in the
December flood and got "ev
erybody's water."
Hat No Authority
The city, he explained, has
no authority to go outside its
boundaries to correct such a
problem. He predicted that
the people can't count on this
problem arising only every
100 years. The county is be
coming urbanized in a way to
send water into channels with
greater intensity, he added.
Mayor Freeman Mason of
Central Point said if Medford
would take care of its prob
lem, Central Point wouldn't
have one.
Mayor M. Stcinmelz of Gold
Hill described his city as the
real dumping ground in the
drainage problem and com
plained of the pollution which
threatens -"the water supply
from the river.
Charley Hoover, who has
farmed in Jackson county for
many years, learning the idi
osyncracies of many streams
and drains, asked that the
farmers be heard. He objected
to the emphasis on channel
clearance, saying a word for
consideration of all elements
in nature, the timber, the wild
life, the brooks and the ponds.
He objected to all the people
being taxed for the Bear creek
problem.
Don Minear, Griffin Creek
orchardist ana farmer, re
minded that there is federal
money available for stream
clearance. He said some con
crete aprons have been con
structed at too high a level
and that many channels do
need to be deepened.
Exaggerates Problem
Louis Ward of Hilton rd.
charged that logging roads
and freeway construction had
exaggerated a problem, pre
venting the natural runoff of
flood waters.
A petition carrying the
names of 26 persons wanting
action was mentioned by
County Judge Earl Miller,
who presided at the hearing.
Roy B. Sanderson and John
Friday, Portland; and A. L.
Harris, Medford, all with the
U. S. Geological Survey,
voiced their interest in con
ducting a survey of the flood.
The suggestion met with wide
approval and the meeting ad
journed following Former
County Commissioner Chester
Wcndt's recommendation that
all decisions await such a survey.
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